Edge of Madness
by swoonforsirius
Summary: Set after season 5. Unable to save Arthur, Merlin saves Morgana instead and tries to bring her back from the edge of madness as he knows he should have done years ago. Lemon
1. Chapter 1

Morgana came awake slowly. She blinked in confusion in the greyness that surrounded her before her eyes adjusted to the dim light. When she realised she was in the dungeons of Camelot she let out a shriek of rage. No, she couldn't be here! She should be dead- she had felt the blade as it passed through her flesh and she remembered the darkness that had followed it. She had accepted death knowing that Arthur was also dying. Why was she alive? Who had saved her?

"Mordred." The broken gasp escaped from her lips as she realised she had failed him. She had promised to protect him when he was just a boy and she had failed him as a man grown. She had led him to his death all so she could destroy her brother. The cost had been too high- Mordred's death was not worth Arthur's.

She tried to sit up on her cot and fell back in agony. She looked down in trepidation. Her dress had been cut open at her abdomen and a large white bandage peeked out at her. So she hadn't imagined being stabbed then and now she knew who had saved her. Only one person had the magic needed to bring her back from an immortal blade wound: Emrys.

Morgana shook her head to dispel the memories of Emrys, or more accurately, her memories of Merlin before she had discovered that he was Emrys. She was so confused where he was concerned as he had been her friend once but they had chosen opposite sides of the war. But she couldn't think of him now, she needed to come up with a plan to escape.

Gathering all her meagre strength, Morgana prepared her magic to use a spell on the iron door. But nothing happened. She couldn't feel or use her magic. Panic gripped her and her breaths came in short pants. She felt utterly helpless and utterly alone.

Before she could hyperventilate, she heard the footsteps of someone approaching her door. She stood proudly and composed herself, ignoring the ache from her wound.

It was Emrys, as she had guessed it would be. He approached the bars slowly at first. Then, when he realised she was standing, he rushed to the door.

"You should be resting. You're wound is severe." His voice was laced with concern which set off her anger. She stalked to the bars until she stood face to face with him.

"You should know, Emrys. You are the one that caused it." She spat the words at him and he flinched at her poisonous tone. She balled her hands into fists to stop them shaking with rage.

"Morgana…" She saw regret flash across his face before he masked it. He wouldn't apologise, she knew, and she honestly didn't expect him too. Nor would she ever apologise for any of her actions. They both knew he would stab her again to save Arthur if he could. Had he managed to save Arthur? Was her brother sitting on the throne that should be hers as she stood in the dungeon?

Her strength failing, she moved to sit on the bed. His face flashed approval and relief that she wasn't fighting him and he took a key out of his pocket. "I need to check the wound."

She watched as he slid the key into the lock and opened the door. She could have tried to escape then but even if by some miracle she made it passed him, she knew she didn't have enough strength to make it far. She'd probably collapse before she could make it out of the dungeons.

Instead she watched him approach with undisguised anger and scorn in her gaze. He locked them in together before approaching her and kneeling by her side. She wanted to kick him in the face, to break his nose, but she refrained.

"Why is Gaius not treating me?" She demanded as he raised the top part of her dress to expose her flesh and the bandage that showed blood stains. She did not like his hands on her. She did not like how his gentle touch almost raised goose bumps on her skin.

"He is overwhelmed by those hurt in the battle. Many are still grievously ill." Emrys unwound her bandage as he spoke and she felt nauseated at the gaping wound in her stomach. He had caused this.

She scowled down at him but when he met her eyes the guilt in his gaze almost softened her. Almost. His gentle fingers spread a thick paste over the laceration and she tried not to wince at the pain. He wrapped a new bandage around her waist before standing up and dusting off his knees.

"I'll, err, come and check on you- it- tomorrow." He stumbled out as she glared at him. When she didn't answer, he bobbed his head moved to the door. He turned back to face her.

"Gwen is Queen of Camelot now." He said in a rush. "She's doing well. She's even allowed good magic to be used in the city."

Morgana stared in amazement as he left. Why was he telling her all of this? Was it a trick of some sort? He hadn't said why she had been brought back alive. She would have to demand an answer to that tomorrow.

Unable to hold herself together any longer, she lay down on the bed and clutched at her stomach. The pain was a deep ache that sapped her strength and she was already so tired.

X x X

Merlin leaned his head against the wall of the dungeon just out of Morgana's sight. He was staying in the cell next to hers on guard duty in case she tried to escape or anyone tried to hurt her. Nobody was happy that she was alive but he couldn't bring himself to end her life. That was why, after Arthur had died, he had gone back to save Morgana. There had been enough bloodshed to last an age and he thought that if he could save a Pendragon then he would atone for his part in it.

Not to mention, he felt guilty for his own part in Morgana's corruption. If he had helped her when she discovered her magic- if he had told her he had magic too- he may have been able to convince her that Arthur was not Uther. If he hadn't poisoned her… If he had saved Mordred's woman and therefore stopped their alliance… If, if, if- it was all he had. And the guilt of all this made him want to save her.

She had been good once. She had been kind and caring and compassionate and he had loved her from afar. He had always thought she was beautiful but when they had hidden and cared for the young Mordred together he had realised the depths of those feelings.

Not that he would have acted on them- he was a mere servant after all. But she had been what he measured all other women against. She had been his idea of a perfect woman. And he had allowed her to be twisted with madness. He had chosen to protect Arthur over her.

But now he would do everything he could to save her from her hate and envy. He would do everything to teach her what good magic could do. He no longer had to hide his magic in the shadows. He would show her this new world. And, if he succeeded, he would return her magic to her.

X x X

When Emrys arrived the next day, Morgana was relieved to see that he was carrying a large bundle of cloth and a bowl full of food along with her remedy. Her stomach had been cramping with hunger all night, adding to the already burning ache she had. Her gaze focussed on the bowl he carried as he opened her cell door and then locked them in together. He moved to pick up the medicine.

"NO." Her voice was loud, commanding. She would not lose her regal demeanour just because she was a prisoner. "The food first."

Emrys nodded and brought the bowl towards her. The smell of the stew assaulted her senses and she licked her lips eagerly. His eyes watched her movements warily as he handed the bowl to her. Without hesitation, she began spooning the hot, watery stew into her mouth ravenously. He opened his mouth as if to tell her to slow down but she growled at him and he did not interrupt.

Only when the bowl was finished did she look up at Emrys. She almost thanked him for the meal but managed to contain herself. Instead she handed him the empty bowl and let him redress her stomach in silence.

As he worked she studied him. His clothes were very dishevelled and there were dark circles under his eyes as if he had slept very little last night. She didn't think he had changed his clothes or bathed since yesterday.

He stepped back and gazed down at her. He motioned to the bundle on the floor behind him. "I brought you a new dress and water to wash your hair."

She stared at the bundle as if it was the most precious gift. In all honesty she could feel the gore from the battle still on her skin and in her hair and she didn't even want to contemplate how soiled her dress was. Hers eyes met his and she couldn't look away. She didn't know why he was doing this for her, but she was grateful on a level she didn't understand.

He picked up a jug of water that she hadn't seen earlier and walked over to the drain channel at the back of the cell. "If you stand over here, I'll wash your hair for you."

She stood and walked over to him, struggling to keep her excitement under control. Though she hated to do so, she knelt so it would be easier for him to reach her. He gently threaded a hand in her hair as he poured the lukewarm water through it.

She gasped in satisfaction as the water cascaded over her face and hair and dripped onto the floor. Had anything ever felt so good? His hands massaged soap into her wild curls and another gasp escaped her. This was pure heaven. For a moment she could forget that she was a prisoner and her army scattered and defeated.

The next wave of water washed over her, this time splattering water over her face and into her mouth. She spluttered and Merlin dropped the jug and knelt in front of her so they were eye to eye. His arm banded around and patted her back to clear her throat. His other hand whipped off his neckerchief and used it to wipe the water from her face.

"Are you alright?" He asked as his hand rubbed soothing circles on her back. She nodded breathlessly, touched at his actions.

He handed her a brush and laid out her new dress on the bed while she brushed through her ebony curls. Then, with a simple goodbye, he left her to dress.

X x X

Merlin couldn't sleep that night. He was haunted by the closeness he had felt to Morgana earlier. Not to mention, he had picked out a dress and a shift for her and he couldn't stop himself picturing what she would look like in them.

They were simple. The shift was white and the dress a deep blue, plain with no ornamentation and a hood as he knew she loved. Only after he'd picked it from her old pile of clothing had he remembered it was a particular favourite of his. He knew it would highlight her curves to perfection.

He stood up from his hard, dingy bed and left his cell to visit hers. Just check if she's asleep, he told himself. She was.

But before he knew what he was doing he had opened her cell door with his magic –having left the key in his own cell- and shut the door quietly. He walked over to her bed and peered down at her sleeping form.

She looked so innocent asleep. Her features lost all of their hard lines and radiated vulnerability and her eyelids hid the malice and madness that her eyes contained. She looked like the Morgana he had met when he had first come to Camelot.

Her eyelids flickered open and he froze. She'd caught him and he couldn't think how she would react to that, though he guessed it would be badly.

"Emrys?" Her voice was sleep laden and confused. "What are you doing here?"

"I just came to… check on your bandages." He improvised with a smile.

"At night? They won't need changing until tomorrow at the earliest." She sat up in bed as she spoke and his gaze dropped down to her exposed cleavage. The neckline of this dress was probably the lowest of all her dresses. He could feel his blood heating and his lust rising as he struggled to look away.

Morgana raised an eyebrow in disbelief as Emrys' cheeks flooded red and he struggled to raise his gaze from her chest. She looked down and discovered her dress had been rearranged in sleep so that the neckline was significantly lower than usual. She straightened it as he struggled for an answer to her retort.

He scrubbed his hand through his hair in what she recognized as a nervous gesture. "I couldn't sleep. I thought I would come and check on you."

If she'd thought his cheeks red before, it was nothing due to the flush on his face as he admitted the truth to her. So he had come all the way from his rooms just to check on her? Unlikely. Once more she noticed his wrinkled clothes that hadn't changed since she had woken up in the prison.

"Are you staying down here?" She asked in disbelief, ignoring how his gaze skipped across her body at regular intervals and how that caused tingles to spread across her body.

Yes," he admitted reluctantly. "I don't like the idea of you down here alone. I don't trust the guards not to hurt you."

Now a blush started on her cheeks. She could handle herself, of course, but the sentiment touched her. This was the sweet boy she remembered from his early days at Camelot. The one she had almost fell for when entered her bed chambers with a wanted child in tow. For a brief time, it had felt like she had a family with Merlin and the boy.

She met his gaze and was astonished by the kindness and caring she could see there. She could also see lust in his eyes and, as she was unfamiliar with kind emotions these days, she responded to the lust instead: she touched her lips to his.

Instantly he deepened the kiss. His tongue swept into her mouth and played with hers. She let out a small moan at the taste and sensation of him. His hand tangled in her curls as he pressed himself closer to her and she tugged at his arm until he sat on the bed with her.

Now at a better level, she tilted her head so she could kiss him harder, deeper. She ran a hand lightly over his shirt and delighted in the hard feel of him. Reluctantly, she pulled back and gasped for air.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

She cut off his apology with another bruising kiss. This time her hand delved under his shirt to touch his bare skin. She felt him shiver and her own passion increased with his. She might be a prisoner but she could take him if she wanted to and take him she would.

She untied his neckerchief and threw it to the floor before pulling his shirt over his head. As it too landed on the floor, he placed his hands on the curve of her hip, and gently slid them up towards the outsides of her breasts. She moaned into his mouth and felt his lips quirk into an answering smile.

"Are you sure you want to-" He started, pulling away from her mouth.

"Yes, Merlin." She winced internally as she used his name instead of Emrys. Emrys she could keep at a distance, but Merlin had been her friend. It meant nothing, she assured herself as his lips licked and nibbled down the side of neck to her collar bone. She fisted a hand in his soft hair and held him close as he wrung out another gasp of pleasure from her.

They paused for a moment to remove her dress and then he pulled back to stare at her in her shift. She used the time to rake her eyes over his exposed chest and licked her lips as she realised she more than liked what she saw.

His eyes glowed gold and her shift fell off her shoulder to pool at her waist. He'd used magic on her? But those golden eyes had sent chills all over a body and she eagerly reached for his pants. She made quick work of the laces and delved a hand in to cup him. He was hard and long and thick in her hand.

He nibbled at her breast as she stroked him and they both let out a moan of satisfaction. He was talented with his mouth! He sent lances of pleasure spearing through her as he teased her with his tongue and his hand played with the other breast. The heat inside her was getting unbearable and she knew she needed more. She needed him.

She rolled back on the bed, pulling him on top of her and used her feet to push his pants and undergarments down and off his legs. He pulled back and, with another flash of gold, her shift slid off her body and onto the floor. His heated gaze roved over her body, scorching her with the heat of it.

His hand delved down to the juncture of her thighs and she felt his finger caressing her intimately. A broken cry escaped her lips and he gestured at her to be quiet. She couldn't remember why she needed to be quiet in that moment and knew that before they were done her voice would be bouncing off the walls.

He dipped a finger inside her while his thumb teased her clit mercilessly. She wanted to scream with the pleasure. Her nails raked lightly down his back and her hips bucked up towards his.

"Now, Merlin." She demanded, hips seeking his again.

With a reluctant gaze he moved his hand from her but when he thrust inside of her his face radiated joy. He thrust long and hard and she met him stroke for stroke. His lips returned to hers hungrily, his tongue mimicking the movement of their connected bodies and his hands roved over her whole body, never hitching in their rhythm.

"Morgana."

Her name on his lips sent her spiralling over the edge into a powerful orgasm that had her tensing around him. She felt him thrust once more before his own orgasm consumed him and his eyes seared hers. He collapsed on top of her before rolling onto his side and wrapping her in his arms.

He placed a chaste kiss on her forehead and stroked his hand through her hair. Neither of them spoke and within minutes she was asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: So this was just going to be a one-shot but I have been persuaded to continue it. Thanks for reading and to everyone who reviewed (saucy-duck; claire3loves3music; Amenson; Iricious; sdsmile; hanipman; sunnysmile1234; lady slytherin of Camelot and lilmiss). I won't be updating much this month as I have exams and assessments galore- sorry.

Chapter 2

Merlin awoke the next morning feeling more content than he ever had. He knew it had something to do with the beautiful, pale goddess that he held in his arms as he knew that he should leave before anyone found them like this. After all, she was the Lady Morgana and he was still just Merlin. Even though he now held a position in court- as the royal sorcerer nonetheless- he had spent too long as a servant for anyone but Gwen and a few others to see him as anything else.

Attempting not to rouse Morgana, he slid himself out of the bed and started to dress quietly. Once he was dressed he turned back to her. Her beauty captivated him all over again and it was all he could do not to stare at the creamy leg that peaked from the covers. How could he leave her when all he wanted to do was crawl back under the covers with her?

Well, he wouldn't leave her for long. He'd go and retrieve the medicine for her wound- he hoped it hadn't hurt too much last night- and perhaps a bath tub for Morgana. Yes, he would bring in the bath tub; he wanted her to be at her best when Gwen visited later on. Trying to pretend that was the only reason, he left.

She was still asleep when he returned not ten minutes later. He set the tub in the corner, filled it with water and then heated the water with his magic to the perfect temperature. He called her name to wake her. Her eyes flashed open and flickered between him and the bath suspiciously.

"What is this, Emrys?" She sat up as she spoke, the sheet covering her naked body.

He felt a flare of anger and resentment that he was once again Emrys to her when he had been Merlin last night. He quashed it and gestured to the bath. "It's warm. I'll come and change your bandage when you've bathed."

Morgana watched as Emrys awkwardly excused himself and left her in the cell alone. After wolfing down the bread and cheese he had brought, she walked over to the bath. Sure enough, it was warm and he had left soap for her to bathe with. Gratitude towards him washed over her and she pursed her lips in anger. How did he keep managing to affect her when nothing else could penetrate through the darkness of her mind?

She dropped the sheet and stepped into the large metal tub, sighing as the hot water soaked her body. She scrubbed the soap over her skin to remove all the dirt and grime that had been accumulating since the battle. Oh, this was wonderful, she thought, as every last bit of tension she hadn't managed to work off last night faded from her body.

Last night… Morgana allowed herself to think upon her actions of the previous night. Being with Merlin- no, not Merlin, Emrys- had managed to push back the darkness and the madness and had allowed her a night of clarity. Morgana knew that she had changed much from the young woman under Uther's control. She knew that she had become as ruthless in her war against Camelot as Uther had been in his persecution of magic, because she honestly believed that it was the only way magic would ever come to be legalised. To not be thought of as evil.

Reluctantly, she stepped out of the bath and dried herself off with a towel that Emrys had left. She slipped her clothes back on and tried to fix her cold indifference that Emrys had threatened to shatter last night. She would not let him know how grateful she was that he had grounded her. She didn't remember the last time she had slept the whole night without nightmares of her imprisonment in the darkness but she had somehow managed it last night.

She heard footsteps approach and arranged her face into a dispassionate expression. Emrys entered her cell then and she noticed that he had changed clothes from last night and his hair appeared wet- he must have bathed as well. Her mind immediately flashed back to last night and his naked body. She pursed her lips to stop herself from licking them.

"Did you enjoy your bath, Morgana?" A blush flooded his cheeks as he spoke and a small smile almost graced her features. Was he nervous around her after the events of last night? That was… cute.

"It wasn't up to my usual standard of living, Emrys." Her sneer made him flinch and she felt the slightest flicker of guilt. He was trying to make her imprisonment as easy for her to bear as he could and compared to her last prison this one was paradise, but she wouldn't let him know that- it wasn't in her nature.

"Right." He nodded his head once and looked down at the floor. "I should check your injury."

"Yes, I think I may have reopened it last night." If Morgana hadn't known herself better, she would almost have thought she sounded teasing. As it was, she found it strangely enthralling to see the tips of his ears turn red in embarrassment. She had never known a man to be so shy around her.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I never thought." Emrys' tone was dejected as though he regretted hurting her. She felt a strange urge to reassure him, to tell him that she had been too caught up in the moment to notice it until this morning, but she wouldn't give in to that urge.

She sat on the bed before she realised that, with this dress intact, she would have to bare her breasts and abdomen to Emrys in order for him to tend to her wound. It shouldn't matter- he'd seen her naked after all- but now that she wasn't mad with lust she felt nervous. What if, now that he too had a clear head, he realised that he did not like what he saw. That thought was ridiculous; Merlin's attraction towards her had been apparent in the early days of their friendship. But that didn't stop her fearing it.

She knew the exact moment he realised the same as his throat bobbed and his eyes widened.

"I could cut the dress as I did with the other." He suggested hesitantly.

"You will do no such thing. I love this dress." She snapped in reply. Who knew when he would bring her another change of clothes? And even if he did bring her another dress, would he cut them all up until they were all ruined? That she would not allow.

Swallowing her modesty, she undid her dress and let it pool around her waist. With trembling hands she moved the straps of her shift off her shoulders to bare her chest and stomach. She lightly crossed her arms to conceal her breasts and thought she saw a flicker of disappointment in Merlin's eyes. A twinge or arousal speared her but she quelled it.

Merlin gently unwound the bandage from her waist. He tried to keep his eyes from flicking up to Morgana's breasts and the way her crossed arms emphasised them. Thankfully the wound hadn't reopened last night, but it was a bit inflamed. He spread the thick paste across the wide jagged scar that had healed faster than he had anticipated- she would be back to full strength soon.

"It's healing well," he told her. "I shouldn't have to change it for a couple of days."

He tried to meet her gaze but she refused to look down at him. Instead she stared at the stone wall above his head with an indecipherable expression. She didn't respond until he'd redressed the bandage and she had righted her clothes and stood up.

"Very well, Emrys, you may leave now."

He almost chuckled at her. She, the prisoner, thought to order him, her jailer, as if she were in charge. But before he could leave he wanted to know, he needed to know, her thoughts on last night. Did she regret it? Was it her way of trying to turn him to her side? He was wracked with insecurities and he needed to quell them.

"Morgana, about last night..." He stopped to clear his throat awkwardly. Interject anytime, he thought desperately. But she stayed quiet, finally meeting his eyes with an inscrutable expression. He wished she would give him even a small clue as to her feelings.

When he didn't continue, a small smile curled up her lips. "What about last night, Emrys?"

Morgana could have laughed at the blush that once again flooded his face. His unease with last night's events surprised her. He was so confident in other things and yet so shy with this. It made no sense to her.

When he still didn't continue, she took pity on him. "I think it would be best if we didn't discuss last night, Emrys."

To Morgana, last night had been about proving she still had some control, even while captured. She would not deny that she had once had feelings for Merlin, nor that she still found him handsome, but that didn't change that they were enemies now. Did she still have enemies with both Uther and Arthur dead?

Yes she had coveted the kingdom but that had merely been because if she ruled then it would mean Arthur and Uther were dead. It had also been the only way she could conceive of where magic was practised. If Gwen really had made magic legal then surely Morgana's goal had been achieved? But the darkness in her mind reminded her that it was not enough. The kingdom of Camelot needed to pay for what they had done to magic users for years, to anyone even remotely connected to magic.

"Morgana?" The feel of Emrys' hands shaking her shoulders roughly cleared her head. She blinked in confusion.

"What was that, Morgana? You're eyes turned black and you didn't respond to a word I said." Through the fog in her brain she thought Emrys sounded concerned.

Had he really been speaking? She hadn't heard a thing until he began to shake her. She had missed him moving over to her as well. Her chest fluttered in panic that she had somehow let her guard down and left herself vulnerable. If she had been surrounded by enemies she would have been dead or captured. Of course, she was already captured, but still.

She locked eyes with Emrys, trying to ground herself in the here and now.

"Morgana, what happened? Please tell me." His voiced soothed her when it shouldn't have been able to. Nothing had soothed her but her dragon since she had last been captured and locked away in the cold and dark. She should admit the truth to him- he may be able to help her.

"I'm standing on the edge of madness, Emrys. With every day that passes the madness grows greater. One day soon it will take me over completely and I will lose myself to it." A single tear rolled down her cheek as she admitted her secret in a rush before she could change her mind. She wiped the tear away angrily, hating herself for the weakness.

She had been told by an oracle long ago that madness would claim her but she had managed to beat it back time and time again. Yes her brain was often fogged and irrational but she always managed to recover herself from it.

Emrys' face darkened. "I won't let that happen, Morgana. I swear to you, I will find a way to banish the darkness from your mind."

She felt a flare of hope at his words but she couldn't believe him. It had been foretold, just as it had that he would be her doom, and prophecies always came true. She knew that- she had been plagued with prophetic dreams for years. She had no doubt he would try, but she was almost certain he would fail. If anyone could succeed it would be Emrys, but was there even a way to succeed at all?

Morgana was jolted from her musings by the sound of footsteps approaching. As her cell was the very end cell, she knew that someone was coming to see her. She shot a questioning look at Merlin. He mouthed 'Gwen' at her and began collecting his medical supplies. She stood, brushed out her dress and faced the door as Gwen came into view.

"Morgana, Merlin." Gwen acknowledged them. "Merlin, I expected you to have already left here by now."

Morgana watched as Emrys blushed bright red and stammered out an excuse, before hurrying out the cell door. Gwen stayed outside the bars and Morgana smirked at the thought that Gwen may still fear her. Even locked up and without her magic she was still a force to be reckoned with.

"Your Highness," Morgana mocked with a curtsey. "To what do I owe this pleasure."

"Morgana." Gwen inclined her head in acknowledgment. "I trust Merlin's care has been satisfactory."

Morgana chuckled to herself. Emrys' care had been more than satisfactory. A bath, clothes, medicine and a night of losing herself in pleasure had all been lacking from her last stint in imprisonment. Of course, she merely sneered at Gwen and stayed quiet.

"What am I going to do with you, Morgana?" Gwen asked with a sad smile on her face. "My men want you dead and my kingdom wants you dead but I can't convince myself to do it, even after all you've taken from me."

"You should kill me." Morgana sneered, appalled at the weakness of the Queen of Camelot. A Queen should be ruthless in the treatment of enemies- a trait Morgana had excelled at.

"I should but I won't. Even though you are the reason my brother and my husband are dead I cannot find it in myself to harm a Pendragon. Anyway Morgana, we were friends once and I would have done anything for you."

Morgana's anger snapped at the pity and kindness in Gwen's voice and face. How dare she! Morgana was not an object of pity. She was to be revered and respected. She wished Emrys were here; he did not ire her like this. He did not cause the madness inside her to lash at her control like a thunderstorm. But she would not give in; she would not let out her anger, for if she did she feared that she would finally fall over the precipice and into the madness that would consume her.

"Yes, we were friends once, but no more." Morgana spat out, trying desperately to calm herself. She almost screamed for Gwen to bring back Emrys to ground her. When had she begun to crave his presence this much?

"You will stay here in this cell until Merlin decides you are not a threat to Camelot." Gwen continued, ignoring the rage in Morgana's tone. "After he has done so, you will leave Camelot and if you ever threaten this kingdom again I will have you killed, and I will have Merlin do it."

A deranged laugh escaped Morgana. "Do you think Emrys would kill me after he saved my life?"

Gwen's face hardened. "He will do as I command. I am the queen of Camelot."

Morgana admired the change. She had doubted whether Gwen would have the back bone to reinforce these situations but she now knew that Gwen had more spine to her than Morgana had previously thought. Gwen would make a worthy enemy if Morgana ever managed to break free and regain her magic.

"And anyway, in time I shall ask Merlin to marry me." Gwen commented idly and Morgana had to hide a shriek of rage. Had Gwen guessed at the events of last night and sought to taunt her? "I do not love him, but he is the logical choice to provide me with an heir to the throne."

How dare Gwen claim Emrys as her own! Morgana was the one who was bound to him. Morgana was the one who had seen him naked and welcomed him into her body and told him of the darkness in her mind.

"You would deprive him of the chance to find true love?" She could not claim him aloud but she could try and deter Gwen with other reasons.

"I would provide him the chance to be the father of the future king." Gwen claimed hesitantly. "Although, I have to admit I did not consider that Merlin would want to find true love. I have never seen him chase a woman."

"And would your kingdom accept your remarriage? They were loyal to Arthur." Morgana forced her voice to sound unconcerned when in fact her mind was whirling.

"I was loyal to Arthur! But if I do not remarry then who will rule when I am gone?" Gwen's voice was sad but determined and Morgana knew she could not convince Gwen otherwise. Though she was loath to admit it, Morgana understood the logic of Gwen's decision and her choice of husband was infallible: it would support Gwen's new law of allowing her subjects to practice magic.

Morgana seethed in silence. Though she despised him, Emrys was hers. When she could once again use magic, she would leave Camelot and she would take Emrys with her. He may be able to delay the madness inside of her and if she could turn him to her cause (the one she was no longer sure existed) he would prove to be a formidable ally. It shouldn't be that hard to convince him to follow her either, now that he was no longer charged with protecting Arthur. Surely she could convince him to choose her over Gwen. A triumphant smirk lit Morgana's features as she recalled his reaction to her last night. She may have discovered the best way to win him over and it was a plan she would enjoy putting into action.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Exams are over so shall be updating more often now. Thanks to everyone who reviewed **** you know who you are.**

Chapter 3

A night of unrest and stress had taken its toll on Morgana. Though she had nothing of a reflective surface, she knew her eyes were rimmed with dark circles. Thankfully, Merlin had not arrived yet this morning and she had time to splash the last of her water ration onto them to try and counter the circles. She could only hope it helped.

Morgana sighed in frustration. Normally when one embarked upon the act of seduction one had clothes and powder and jewels to work with. Morgana had one dress, no powder, no jewels and no magic. But she did have the knowledge that Merlin found her attractive. She would be an idiot not to notice the looks he gave her body when he thought she would not notice. Her lips curled up in a grin.

She heard him before she saw him, his feet padding down the corridor towards her cell. She smoothed her dress down with her hands nervously and sat on the edge of her bed as he opened the door, locked it and turned towards her.

He was carrying two bowls. She gazed at him curiously as he walked slowly over to her. Inhaling, a true smile graced her features. Warm chicken on a bed of roast potatoes with a slice of bread? That was definitely not the food they served to prisoners. The other bowl looked like water, but it was steaming with heat. She idly wondered what it contained.

"What is this, Merlin?" She couldn't stop gratitude seeping into her tone. "Oh, I haven't had food like this in so long."

A large grin covered his face. "You like it then?"

He handed her the bowl and sat on the bed next to her. Morgana's eyebrows shot up in surprise and she glanced at him warily. But she couldn't resist the allure of roast chicken and within moments she'd taken her eyes off Emrys and began to eat enthusiastically. When the bowl was empty, she set it on the floor and turned towards him.

"I've brought you a concoction of nightshade tea. It's supposed to help with clarity." Emrys explained, the light blush she was growing fond of covering his cheeks.

She was… touched? She knew the type of nightshade he would have used and knew he would have had to collect it last night. She would have collected it herself but it was very sparse and she knew of nowhere it grew. Gingerly she took the bowl and sipped the tea.

"There's magic in here."

He nodded guiltily. "I thought it would help if I imbued it with a little magic."

Morgana should have been angered but she could taste **her** own magic in the drink. He'd given her, however small a piece, some of her own power back. Chills spread down her spine. Not enough to do magic, but maybe enough to affect his, she thought.

Merlin was once again struck by Morgana's beauty in her smile and knew he'd done the right thing in allowing her the smallest amount of her magic back. He knew how it felt not to be able to access it, to feel as if someone had cut off your arm or leg and left you not quite whole. Yes, she was the one who had taken his magic away but now that he knew madness was in her mind he couldn't stop himself from wondering how much of that had been her and how much the madness.

He looked her over as she drank greedily from the bowl, her pleasure growing with each mouthful. He may have had his magic longer than her, but her magic was just as much a part of her as his magic was of him and he couldn't deny her that.

She set the bowl aside and turned to him once more. He hadn't seen her eyes this full of emotions in years and he wished he could know what she was thinking. Merlin was clueless when it came to figuring out others emotions without magic, he always had been.

"Can I show you something?" Morgana asked in a husky voice.

Merlin's imagination instantly shot into overdrive. Morgana undoing her dress to show him her breasts, sliding it lower down her legs until it pooled at her feet. He licked him lips and noticed that her eyes followed the movement of his tongue. He had to clear his head. The likeliness was she wasn't thinking anything close to his train of thought, but, oh, he wished she was.

He couldn't fight his attraction towards her, couldn't put her out of his head. When he slept he dreamed of her naked and in his arms. And when he was awake he was desperately trying to think of a way to make her see reason so he could release her and return her magic. He knew he was so obsessed because, with no Arthur to protect, Merlin had no focus, no purpose, no destiny in life until Arthur returned. Of course, he would still want her if Arthur was alive, he just wouldn't have been able to focus on saving her and Arthur at the same time. He would always have had to choose.

And he never would have been free to choose her.

Clearing his mind, he nodded at her, not trusting his voice. He was startled- and a little disappointed- when she grabbed his hand. Her smooth palm rubbed against his knuckles as she laced their fingers together and placed them on the bed between them. He was completely bewildered until she muttered a short sentence in the Old Language. His magic immediately responded to her command, passing out through their combined hands and into the bed which grew and softened as he watched in amazement.

"How did you learn how to do this?" Merlin asked in astonishment, meeting her gaze.

Her eyes darkened in sadness. "Morgause taught me. She told me that sometimes my magic would not be enough and I would have to use other tools at my disposal to gain allies."

Merlin could barely contain his anger as he thought about what Morgana's sister had turned her into. No-one should have to use their body in the way Morgause had been suggesting, especially not someone like Morgana. She had been highborn, an innocent, caught up in her sister's ways and means. He raked a hand through his hair to calm himself but couldn't get the image of Morgana in bed with other men out of his mind.

"Merlin?" Morgana's voice broke through his rage, calming him instantly. He couldn't change the past no matter how much magic he possessed. He pushed it out of his mind and focussed on the present.

Only then did he notice Morgana's face was hesitant, unsure. He wanted to reassure her but didn't know what to say. Instead he squeezed her palm gently with his hand and stroked his thumb lightly along hers.

Morgana's hesitation faded as Merlin's thumb rubbed soothing circles on hers. She had been afraid that he was angry with her admission but he didn't seem so now. Aside from the slight hitch, Morgana's seduction plan had seemed to start well. He'd been incredulous when she'd used his magic, not angry as she'd feared he would be. And his eyes had darkened with lust just a few minutes before. When she was finished with Merlin, he wouldn't even spare Gwen, or any other woman, a glance; she'd make sure of that.

Puling her feet off the floor and crossing them in front of her, Morgana sank into the softness of the mattress. She settled herself further onto the bed and tugged Merlin's hand until he joined her. She felt a flare of nervousness which she ignored. This was the first time she had tried to seduce somebody with a lucid mind and it made her feel almost innocent. Start small, she advised herself, and work up the courage.

Merlin couldn't breathe as Morgana ran a hand through his hair. Such an innocent touch…

"I wanted to see if it really was as silky as I remembered," she purred at him, inching closer until their knees touched.

Merlin let out the breath he had been holding. So she did think about that night! He was grateful to know he wasn't the only one who had been affected by it. Still, he didn't move, content to let her fingers tangle in his hair as he savoured her touch.

He knew he should not be softening towards her- she was an enemy of Camelot- but that didn't seem to matter to him in that moment. Her fingers played with the short hairs at the back of his neck while her other hand rested gently on his knee and it was easy to forget all the anger he'd felt just moments before.

He wanted more, gods did he want more, but he knew that this small touch was important for her; he could see it in the tentative expression on her face and feel it in the tentative touch of her fingers. And in the back of his head was that little voice that kept telling him he couldn't have more, that he would never get more, that they were pitted on opposing forces.

He pressed his forehead against her and reached up a hand to stroke along her cheek, marvelling at the smooth silkiness of her skin. Her lips curled up in a smile so he traced those with a fingertip too- fist the lower then the upper. Her lips parted slightly before placing a soft bite on his finger that caused him to emit a low chuckle. Even in the softest of caresses she was feisty- just one of the things he so liked about her.

Finally, _finally, _after what felt to Merlin like years had passed, she pressed her lips to his in a sweet kiss which she instantly deepened. He couldn't hold himself back any longer. His tongue met hers and his hand fixed around her waist, holding her to him. She responded eagerly, her tongue dancing with his in a rhythm that took his breath away. Her kisses slayed him like none before and he hoped she felt even a fraction for him of what he felt for her. He pulled away reluctantly.

"We shouldn't…" As much as he wanted her he couldn't help but feel as if it were wrong while she was his prisoner, as if he was using her.

As if sensing his reasoning, her lips curled into sensuous, wicked grin. "Merlin, I want this. Please don't deny me."

How could he possibly resist her when she asked like that?

His lips returned to hers eagerly. He felt her moan as his tongue tangled with hers and his hand gripped her hip tighter. His free hand tangled in her ebony curls as his tongue plunged deeper and more frantically. Another moan escaped her lips and he couldn't stop a satisfied smile curling up the corners of his mouth. How he loved her breathless moans! How he loved that he lips followed his when he pulled away momentarily!

Her lips pulled away from his and he wanted to moan in disappointment. At least until her lips began a path down his neck, sucking and biting, to his collarbone. Her hands deftly undid his neckerchief and pulled his top over his head. Only then did she look up and catch his gaze. Her green eyes sparkled with delight and arousal as she ran her hands over his chest, her fingers grazing his nipples and sending sharp bolts of arousal through him and straight to his aching cock. Her lightest touch affected him more than he had thought possible.

Merlin raised his hands to undo the fastenings on her dress and she let him, the material pooling to her waist on the bed. Her shift quickly followed and he pulled back for a moment to stare at her beauty. Her pale breasts were tipped with dusky rose nipples that had tightened in arousal. His hands itched to touch them and his mouthed itched to taste them, but when he raised a hand she lightly knocked it away.

"Not yet," Morgana purred against his chest. Her tongue darted out to lick at a nipple and he jerked in pleasure. She repeated her action, never breaking eye contact with him.

Her hands came up to grab his shoulders and pushed him until he was lying on the bed gazing up at her. He felt her hands on his breeches, working the laces apart and couldn't stop his own moan of desire escaping. His cock twitched in anticipation for her touch. He almost begged her for her touch.

Morgana worked the breeches from Merlin's legs, biting her lip as his errection was revealed to her. Thick and long, it jutted out towards her, begging for attention. _Seduction has never felt this natural or this satisfying, _Morgana thought with a grin.

Last time they had been together, they had been too hurried to explore each other's bodies. They had been too nervous of being caught to savour the moment. But they both knew no-one but Gwen dared to tread this deep into the dungeons anymore, and she had done so just yesterday and was unlikely to return.

Morgana scraped her nails down Merlin's chest and stomach. Bottom lip bitten in nervousness, she trailed her hands even lower and took him into her hands. She smiled as the action caused him to let out a ragged breath and reach for her again. Again she knocked his hands away. It was her turn to play right now, not his.

She worked him with her hand, up and down, delighting in the way his breaths became ragged and his eyes glazed over. Arousal was pooling at her core as she pleasured him. She had never known pleasure in pleasing another before, but she couldn't deny what she was feeling in this moment. Wanting to please him more, she straddled his legs and leaned down to take him into her mouth.

His eyes widened in surprise and a strangled moan escaped his lips. Her tongue teased the slit while her hand continued to pump up and down. The slight saltiness of his taste teased her tongue decadently. She took him deeper, the motions of her mouth matching the rhythm of her hand. He jerked in response, his breaths growing shallower and faster. His hand tangled in her hair again, urging her on. He was close, she could feel it. Had her hips began to undulate in response? No, she must still them lest he try and touch her again. This moment was about him, even though she craved release with every fibre of her being.

She moaned around him, unable to help herself, and knew she had pushed him over the edge. In a strangled yell, he called her name as he released forcefully into her mouth. She almost jerked away in surprise, the sensation being new to her, but managed to still herself and to swallow every drop he offered her.

Her eyes lowered with passion, she moved her head away and gazed up at him. He tugged her up to lie next to him, drawing her against his body.

"Give me a moment to recover, Morgana, and I will make you so happy you did that." He murmured against her hair, causing shivers to race up her spine. She sank deeper into his embrace.

"I'll hold you to that."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: thanks to all those who reviewed, your comments make my day. This is just a short chapter.**

Chapter 4

_Give me a moment to recover…_

Even remembering the words Merlin had just muttered, not seconds before, sent chills of desire across Morgana's body. Her toes curled in expectation; anticipation was driving her mad. Experiencing Merlin's passion, had only increased her longing for him, had only stoked the fire further. Now she wanted him with a hunger that was almost frightening in its extremity.

It had always been so with her. Once Morgana made up her mind it was fixed and it could rarely be changed. And now her target was the young warlock who had once been her friend but had thwarted her every attempt at the throne of Camelot since becoming her enemy, though what they were to each other now Morgana couldn't even begin to figure out.

She tensed as Merlin's breathing returned to normal. He moved his hand from her waist and she turned towards him eagerly.

"Have you recovered then?" Morgana asked, making her tone both haughty and teasing at the same time as she caught his gaze and smirked.

No." A large grin lit his face as he shook his head lightly. "I think it's going to take me a while to recover from that, Morgana."

Merlin's eyes widened in astonishment as a slight chuckle escaped Morgana's lips. The chuckle was a far cry from the sardonic laugh that he was used to from her. He wondered if she even realised how much she was changing here or if it was all an act to lower his guard. He suspected the latter but knew some of it must be genuine- he knew from experience that she wasn't very good at deceit. When she had first turned from Uther Merlin had watched her carefully and noticed every time her face had betrayed her. So, yes, she might be trying to play him, but Merlin knew she was more than a little caught up in her own game.

Still, he wouldn't fully give in to her game. He wouldn't sleep with her again. He shouldn't have the first time- he knew that- but he hadn't been able to resist her when she had seemed to want him as well. No, but he would reciprocate what she had done for him. He had promised, but more than that, he hungered to taste her as she had him. He was desperate to show her the same pleasure that she had shown him. And, gods, if he wasn't dying to know what she tasted like.

Merlin took in her bared upper body. Her slender shoulders and waist and the curves of her breasts and hips were perfect. She was perfect. Her pale skin seemed to glow when bathed in the light from the small window and her eyes were darkened with lust. As his gaze swept over her, chills appeared along her arms as if she enjoyed his scrutiny.

Unable to wait a moment longer, he dipped his lips down to meet hers in a quick kiss- their tongues barely flitting against one another- before kissing down her neck and sucking lightly on her collar bone, causing her to emit a low moan and clutch at him tightly. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he kissed even lower.

He cupped a breast in each hand, the soft silky skin causing his breath to hitch in amazement. He trailed his lips down to one of the mounds and nibbled gently on the puckered nipple. Her hands fisted in his hair as she drew him closer to her, as close as he could get.

Morgana couldn't think as his tongue teased one aching breast while his thumb caressed the other. She wanted more, she needed more, but what he was doing was so perfect she couldn't vocalise her need. His teeth scraped the sensitive bud gently and a sharp, needy gasp escaped her. The sound was so feminine, so genuine that it startled her. But then he bit her again and her thoughts once again scattered.

Merlin's hands trailed lower down her body and slid her dress and the undergarment down her legs and over her toes. Morgana couldn't stop herself from biting her lip in anticipation as his fingers lightly brushed the sensitive skin of her legs. Every touch seemed to set her on fire and her legs fell open for him.

The gentle kisses that he placed in a trail over her stomach were made more intense by the occasional scrape of his teeth against her skin. Morgana could have screamed at him to hurry up, to stop teasing her, but she was enjoying the build-up too much. Instead she gripped his shoulders tightly as he continued to tease her, digging her nails into his flesh.

Eventually he touched her where she craved him most. His fingers, almost hesitant in their movements, caressed her intimately. He circled her aching bud before sinking a finger deep inside her. Morgana cried out at the contact, her hips undulating, urging him on. He rewarded her by thrusting two fingers, then three, deep inside her.

His eyes caught hers and Morgana was stunned by the heat that seared her. Merlin was enjoying this every bit as she was. A grin suddenly lit his face as he inched down her body. Morgana's breath hitched. Was he going to..?

Oh, gods he was! His tongue joined his fingers and her hips shot off the mattress in response. He licked the bundle of nerves as his fingers pumped in and out of her forcefully. He let out a low moan and she responded with a broken cry. Nothing had ever felt this good! She was close, so close, to ecstasy that when he removed his fingers and replaced them with his tongue she broke apart. Her stomach and her sex clenched as her orgasm overwhelmed her. His tongue continued to wring pleasure from her, heightening her climax until she finally stilled on the mattress and panted in exhaustion as his tongue ceased its frantic motions.

She closed her eyes as he crawled up the bed to lie beside her. She expected him to pull her into his arms and hold her close as he had earlier but he didn't. She felt a twinge of disappointment that she immediately quelled as she opened her eyes and turned to face him, struggling to keep her face neutral.

"We can't keep doing this, Morgana." He sighed, refusing to look her in the eye as he lay on his back looking up. Disappointment coursed through her veins- because her plan of escape was foiled, she assured herself.

"I had thought you were enjoying yourself." Her voice was cold and haughty, betraying her emotions more than she would have liked. But she couldn't seem to feign indifference where he was concerned.

A stain of red coloured his cheeks but he still did not look at her, instead staring at the dull grey ceiling. "I-I was. But Morgana, you're a prisoner here and I'm in charge of your care. If anyone were to find out, if anyone were to see us…"

Morgana watched as his eyes darkened in sadness. He wasn't telling her the whole truth- she could tell that he was hiding something. Grinding her teeth in irritation at his resistance, she forced herself to stay calm. She wanted to know everything about him!

"Tell me the truth." She demanded icily. He finally turned to meet her gaze and the despair in them tore at her. Perhaps she shouldn't have pushed him.

"I've only been with one woman more than once." Merlin began hesitantly. "She was beautiful. She had…magic… and I was going to run away with her. But there was a fight and she was wounded and- and she died. I can't keep being with you, Morgana, because I can't lose someone else that I care about. I can't go through that again."

Through his speech, Morgana had listened intently. She did not like that he referred to this woman as beautiful but she had tampered down her jealousy and let him continue. She was glad he did because he admitted to caring about her. She tried to tell herself that this only made it happy because when the time came he would help her to escape, she knew he would. She would use his emotions against him.

"Did you love her?" She didn't want to hear his answer but she had asked before she could stop herself, her curiosity too great.

"No. I didn't know her well enough to love her." Merlin paused, as if trying to decide how to continue. "I could have loved her though, given time. She knew about my magic when few others did. I told her things about myself that I've told no other. We could have been happy."

Jealousy flared again- more potent than before. It was obvious that he had cared deeply for this woman in a way he never would with Morgana. He knew everything she had done and he must condemn her for most of it. For the first time, Morgana felt regret of her actions- not all of them, but the unnecessary hurt that she had caused innocents in her quest for power.

Still, how dare he talk about another woman when he was in bed with her! Even if she had pushed him into it, that was not acceptable and she would make sure he knew that.

She sat up and reached for her dress. She tugged it on hastily and loosely fastened it. He wanted distance between them? Then he would get it. Morgana had learned early that men wanted what they could not have and with this conversation she had decided he couldn't have her until he had begged an apology.

"I want another dress. And some hot bath water brought immediately." She turned to face him with her usual mask of indifference fixed on her face. His expression radiated confusion but she ignored it as she turned for the brush he had brought her a few days ago.

She worked the teeth through her hair, untangling a mass of knots that had accumulated as he mutely stood. Her resolve almost broke at the site of his naked body standing in front of her but she bit the inside of her cheek to stay strong and managed to keep up the façade as he dressed.

"Morgana?"

"What Emrys? Were my instructions not clear? I wish to bathe and dress in clean clothes. I may be a prisoner but I am still of noble birth." Morgana sneered at him. She hated herself for it, but she needed to preserve her dignity.

His face dropped as he nodded at her and left her cell. When she was alone, she dropped to the cot and let the day's events play through her head. He may have said that there would be no more intimacy, but he had given her enough to fuel her imagination for a while- until she planned her escape and took him as her prisoner.

Then she would make him forget any woman that had come before her. In trying to make him fall for her, she had fallen for her own trap. She had lost her army, Mordred, Morgause and everything she had ever cared about. She would make sure she would not lose Merlin as well.

Back in his own cell, Merlin leaned against the wall and sighed.

He had wanted to push Morgana away from him but he knew he had gone too far when he had talked of Freya. For a start, he may have called Freya beautiful but her beauty paled when compared to Morgana. For another, he was playing a dangerous game with her and had to be careful. He needed to stop the intimacy between them before they both fell in over their heads. He had not been lying when he had said that his position as her jailer complicated things- he could be hung if anyone discovered what had happened between them.

And Gwen would think that he was betraying her if she found out. How could he possibly explain to her that it had torn him up that they had never truly tried to save Morgana from Morgause? They had let Morgause corrupt her until Morgana's very soul was riddled with madness and had then accepted her as evil from the outset. Even he had done so, at Gaius' bidding.

No, Merlin had to do things right from now on. First he would cure her of the madness, and then he would reason with her. Eventually she would be allowed out of jail, although it may take years before she was deemed safe enough to return her power. Then, and only then- if she still desired him- he would court her. Despite what he had said about Freya, Merlin knew there was only one woman for him: Morgana. He just didn't know if there could ever be anything between them.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed!**

Chapter 5

It had been three days since Merlin had pushed Morgana away. Three days of growing sexual frustration and hunger until even the sound of his footsteps approaching her cell caused tingles to shoot through her body. And three days of trying to keep her anger towards Merlin at the fore of her mind.

She had maintained her haughty demeanour steadfastly throughout their exchanges but it brought her no satisfaction. She could tell Merlin was not happy with their situation any more than she was but neither made a move to restore it to what it had been. Morgana was too stubborn and she suspected Merlin was the same.

Today however, as her heart skipped its usual beat at the sight of him and she resolutely ignored it, she noticed that he was grinning as he approached her and wondered about the change- his expression had been neutral and devoid of emotion for three days now. What had happened to make him so content?

"Gwen wants you to sit in court with her today." He announced, barely able to contain his excitement as he unlocked her door and stepped inside.

Morgana's own excitement was piqued. She was getting a chance to leave this dank cell and venture once more into the- relative- freedom of the castle. She hadn't thought Gwen would ever give her even an ounce of freedom. Of course, it was likely to be a test of some kind and Morgana was sure Merlin would never be far away from her as he was the only one with enough power to control her. Still, it would give Morgana a chance to see how Camelot was under Gwen's rule- and whether or not Morgana needed to continue her quest for the throne.

"What an… honour. Tell me, what should a prisoner wear to court?" Morgana sneered her question at Merlin with a malice she did not feel. Still, appearances must be kept up and she couldn't forget that she was (supposed to be) angry at him.

Merlin's only response to her tone was to raise an eyebrow at her and walk over to her small collection of dresses in the corner. "What about your blue dress?"

Morgana considered his choice. He had chosen an understated, modest dress that she had to admit did look good on her- especially now that her frame was thinner due to a drop in decadent food since leaving Camelot. She was almost surprised that he had made a good choice before she remembered that he had helped Arthur pick out clothes for court for years. Well then, she would accept his advice in this without complaint.

Before Merlin could stop her or turn away, she had undone her dress and let it fall to the floor at her feet. His eyes widened as she stepped out of the pool of material and headed towards him and the collection of dresses he had brought her yesterday dressed only in her shift. A grin curled her lips as she turned her back to him and picked up the dress- his face had showed the lust he had been trying to hide from her.

Morgana dressed and brushed out her hair before turning back to him. He hadn't moved an inch while she had dressed but had managed to regain his indifferent composure, except for a bright light in his eyes. For the first time in three days though, Morgana wasn't fooled. He still had feelings for her and she knew that now. That was something she could work with.

He led her through the castle with an unending commentary about what had changed while she had been locked away- right down to the drapes in the Great Hall. The chatter annoyed her but she didn't interrupt him, content to take in her surroundings and observe everything with careful scrutiny. Eventually they entered the spacious chamber that housed the large round table that set Camelot apart from any other kingdom in the realm.

Silence fell over the room as they entered. Every knight and nobleman seated at the table stared at her with undisguised hatred in their eyes and Morgana made sure to meet all of their eyes with a steely glare. Gwen, however, stood and smiled at her in greeting.

"Welcome, Morgana. Please have a seat." Gwen's voice was loud and commanding as she gestured to two high-backed wooden seats that had been left empty. Morgana took one and Merlin sat next to her as she had suspected he would.

The council resumed talking about the price of taxes on farmland as if Morgana's presence had been a minor interruption and no more, but occasionally someone would throw her a look of utter loathing or contempt. After the fifth such look, Morgana grasped Merlin's hand under the table for support despite herself. He didn't react in anyway other than to give her hand a reassuring squeeze. Morgana observed the council silently, unsure if Gwen wanted her to participate and utterly sure that she didn't want to herself. Eventually, as she had known it eventually would, the topic of discussion turned to her.

"And what of the prisoner?" A nobleman, George she thought he was named, asked, jerking his chin towards her with malice in his eyes. "She killed our king and she must be punished, My Lady."

Merlin's hand squeezed hers tighter though she had not asked for support. She was glad though, it reassured her that somebody would fight for her if it came to that as she doubted she would be able to fight for herself without her magic.

Gwen glanced quickly at Morgana before she shook her head slightly. "And in our war we have killed Lady Morgana's sister and the boy she cared for as a son. I will not kill her unless I am convinced that she is still a danger to Camelot."

A fist slammed down on the table. It was Percival's. "Of course she is a danger to Camelot. Even without her magic she is evil to the core. Do you not remember all that she has done?"

"Kill the witch, I say."

"She must be burned on a pyre."

"She is no friend to Camelot or any of its peoples."

Merlin's grasp tightened to a vice like grip on her hand as voices spoke out around the table growing louder and louder. Morgana felt flutters of fear fill her at the thought of her death- she didn't want to die! Panic threatened to overwhelm her as the voices continued to condemn her to death with increasing fervour. It was too much for her, too much…

A loud crack rang out through the room silencing all around the table. Morgana glanced down in horror to see a large crack running through the centre of the table, cutting it clean into two pieces. Her fear increased as she realised she must have accidentally tapped into Merlin's magic and caused this. She would definitely be sentenced to death now; there would be no stopping it.

"Merlin, what happened? Has Morgana regained her magic?" Gwen's shocked voice broke the silence and everyone turned to stare at Morgana with suspicious gazes- they all knew it was her.

"No! No, she hasn't. I'm sorry Gwen. I did it; I lost control for a moment. But I can fix it." Merlin rushed out without glancing at Morgana. He muttered a short phrase in the ancient language and the table knitted itself back together. One by one, the suspicion on everyone's faces faded and they turned away from her and back to the Queen.

Morgana let out a breath she hadn't realised she had been holding. Merlin had protected her, had taken the blame for her. She was safe- for now. But she was angry that the whole court knew her magic had been taken- it made her feel weak, vulnerable and pathetic.

"I will hear no more on the matter. Lady Morgana will not be put to death." Gwen's tone was hard, final and, eventually, everyone around the table nodded in agreement and the subject turned to a village on their borders that had been plagued with an undiagnosed disease.

Morgana tuned them out as they began to discuss whether Gaius could be spared or not. She had heard enough, had seen enough. Gwen was a good ruler, a fair ruler and unswayed by the councillors' comments about her and there had been no outcry at the magic once they had- mistakenly- believed she was not to blame.

Camelot had changed in its attitude towards magic but Morgana had not been the one to make it so. She felt lost, adrift and without a purpose. Morgause had told her every day for a year that Morgana was to be the queen that brought magic back to the realm but she had not been. She had killed and killed and killed, always believing it was for the greater good of her people but in the end all she had brought about was death. The death of fellow druids, the death of Mordred…

Before she knew it the council had adjourned and left her and Merlin seated around the table alone in the cavernous room. She expected him to take her straight back to her cell so it surprised her when he stood up and offered her his hand.

"Would you like to visit Gaius? Or maybe take a walk around the town?" Merlin asked her as she stood and placed her hand in his.

Morgana did not object to the contact even though they had barely touched in three days and his hand in hers was sending tingles up her arm. Right now, even though he had hurt her pride, the touch was welcome. After all, he had comforted her and protected her throughout the meeting.

Morgana considered her options. There would be a greater chance of escape if she were to ask to see the town, but Merlin would suspect that on her first day free of the dungeons and would easily stop her attempt. So instead she asked to visit Gaius. A small smile lit his face as he guided her through the castle, as if she had chosen the right option. Merlin was smiling a lot today and Morgana suspected she was part of the reason, however conceited that sounded.

They met few people on their walk, all of whom stared at Morgana as if she were the embodiment of evil. Every time this happened her unease grew and she wondered if she could stand to stay in Camelot for much longer. Once she escaped, Morgana doubted she would return to this place willingly, not even to take the throne from Gwen.

They entered Gaius' chambers and Morgana peered around nervously. Gaius was at the table mixing potions but he looked up as Merlin shut the door.

"Merlin, Morgana, how lovely to see you both. Would you join me for some dinner?"

Morgana blinked in surprise. Gaius addressed her as he would an old friend and without any of the anger and hatred she was used to; it was far from what she had expected. He gestured towards the table where three plates of food were set and offered her a chair. She took it and Merlin sat opposite her with Gaius at the head of the table.

Dinner was a quiet affair. Both she and Merlin seemed to struggle to pace themselves with the food but Gaius chatted continuously and seemed to eat very little. He asked Morgana many questions and talked to her as he would've in the old days, before she had sought to destroy Uther. Morgana was surprised that a lot of the talk revolved around magic creatures and spells- it reminded her of Aithusa and Morgana desperately wanted to ask if Merlin or Gaius had seen her since the battle at Camlann but she dared not draw attention to the young dragon's alliance with her.

After dinner, Merlin still made no move to return her to the dungeon, though Morgana knew he would by the end of the evening. Instead, he played a game of dice with Gaius while Morgana drank another cup of nightshade tea and watched intently. As they both had magic, they both could cheat- but only if the other did not see. Morgana observed the flash of Gaius' eyes when Merlin blinked and she laughed as the dice came out in Gaius' favour.

This happened a few times; Gaius always caught Merlin's attempts to cheat but managed to sneak his own past Merlin's attentiveness. At least until Morgana clasped Merlin's hand under the table, as she had done earlier, and used his magic to cheat for him. Gaius was so engaged in watching Merlin that he never noticed her eyes turning gold. It was her way of saying thank you for lying to Gwen for her earlier- because she never would have said it aloud.

The sun had long faded from the sky when Merlin finally stood and bade Gaius goodnight. Morgana thanked Gaius for the food and for the sleeping draught he had given her and left with Merlin for the dungeons. The castle was almost deserted now; they only passed a guard or two on their way.

"Thank you for cheating for me." A grin covered Merlin's face as he spoke, a grin so familiar yet alien to her. In olden days, he would often have grinned at her in this manner but she hadn't seen it directed her way, except in the last few days, in years.

Unsure of what to say, Morgana merely nodded.

"I never win against Gaius. He's too good at hiding his magic- he had to be for years." Merlin continued as they headed down the stone spiral steps and passed the main guard at the dungeon entrance.

They reached her door and he turned to face her. "Goodnight, Morgana."

"Goodnight Merlin."

He leaned towards her and placed a chaste kiss on her lips as if he could not help himself. She expected him to pull straight away but he lingered and she had to quell the urge to lightly nip at his lip and press him for more. She had to remember he had wounded her pride. With an effort she pulled away and stared up at him.

He sighed. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have…"

Her lips quirked up in the slightest of smiles at his apology. If only he knew how much she craved his kiss, he would not be so unsure.

With a final nod, he locked her in the cell and walked away.

"She called me Merlin, not Emrys." His whispered words echoed in the stone room so she could hear him. That was what it took to break him? He liked it when she used his real name? This time her lips formed a full smile as she realised she knew his weakness now and she could regain the upper hand- once he had mended her broken pride of course. Then she realised her own weakness: she hadn't thought of him as Emrys in days, he had become Merlin to her.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Merlin couldn't believe how much he had enjoyed spending time with Morgana and Gaius last night. And Gaius had remarked how like the old Morgana she had seemed. Over the last few days he had noticed how clear her mind had become- the shadow of darkness hadn't passed over her eyes since that first time- and he was sure that was down to the nightshade tea. It was for that reason that he had requested a meeting with Gwen.

He stepped into the small council chamber, glad to see that Gwen was not surrounded by an entourage of nobles and knights- it made it easier to ask her for what he wanted. He took a seat on the other site of a wooden table to his Queen.

"Hello Merlin." Gwen greeted him with a smile. Merlin was pleased to note that she didn't seem to have changed too much since ascending to the throne. "I can only assume you wanted to meet about Morgana's case as you were quiet in yesterday's council meeting- aside from the incident with the table of course."

Merlin blushed in embarrassment as he remembered taking the blame for Morgana. Of course it had been his fault in the first place- he had given her the means to access his magic. He coughed nervously. "Yes, I am sorry about that, Gwen."

Gwen chuckled. "It's okay, Merlin, though some of the council members are worried that Morgana is beginning to corrupt you."

Merlin's mind immediately flashed to an image of he and Morgana in bed together and he had to work hard to school his features. If Gwen should find out it would be likely that both he and Morgana would be put to death for improper conduct. Or, at the very least, Merlin would be banished from Camelot and Morgana put to death. How could he ask for what he wanted with this hanging over his head?

"Morgana isn't corrupting me, Gwen." Merlin gave his trademark smile to his Queen until she nodded in agreement. "I am, however, concerned about keeping her in the dungeon."

"I know it is not ideal, Merlin, but what else can I do? She is dangerous to Camelot." Gwen sighed loudly and Merlin realised that Gwen also wanted to help Morgana.

"Put her in my care." Merlin suggested. "Let her stay with Gaius and I; we both know there is no way she can overpower one of us, let alone both."

Shock flitted over Gwen's face, not the reaction he had been hoping for. "Why would you want to do that, Merlin?"

Because it was what was best for Morgana, he thought, though he dared not say it aloud. Nor would he share the secret of her madness- he hadn't even alerted Gaius to that issue. "Because I am living in the dungeons to keep an eye on her. She isn't a threat anymore, she hasn't once tried to escape and I think I am making progress with her."

Gwen's eyes narrowed in anger though Merlin had no idea why she would feel this way.

"If she is no longer a threat then surely we can banish her from Camelot. We can send her away and she won't return- not without her magic."

"No. We can't do that- she isn't ready to be alone." Merlin struggled to keep his voice neutral. Without him and the nightshade tea he brewed daily for her, Morgana would tumble headfirst into madness. He couldn't do that to her, not now that he knew what she was struggling with.

Gwen studied his face for long moments, and Merlin tried to keep a neutral expression on his face. Eventually she sighed loudly again and composed her expression. "Fine. You may move her. But nobody can know of this, Merlin. They would attack her the minute they knew she was free from the dungeon."

XxX

Morgana was lounging on her bed thinking of Aithusa when Merlin came to her door. Although she didn't want to draw attention to her dragon, she had to know what had happened to Aithusa after the battle; she couldn't keep from asking for much longer.

"Pack your things, Morgana." Merlin called with a smile, walking over to her collection of clothes and stuffing her small collection of dresses into a cloth bag.

"Merlin, what is the meaning of this? Put down my dresses." Morgana demanded, confused. There was no way Morgana would have been set free so she had no idea where Merlin thought she was going.

"I spoke to Gwen, convinced her you can't stay in the dungeons any longer." Merlin beamed at her and Morgana felt a tingle of excitement. She was leaving this dank, depressing place and she would make sure she never returned. Morgana didn't even care where she was going to be imprisoned instead.

They walked along the strangely quiet corridors of the castle, not once meeting a single guard. Morgana assumed that meant no one was to know she was being released from the dungeon. Curiosity piqued, Morgana began to wonder where they were heading. Out of the castle perhaps?

But no, to Morgana's surprise Merlin led her to the spacious apartment that he shared with Gaius. There was no sign of Gaius as Merlin led Morgana to a small bedroom and dropped the bag of dresses on the bed.

"So, er, you'll be staying in my room and I'll be sleeping just on the floor outside. So no attempting to escape!" Merlin let out an anxious laugh and Morgana rolled her eyes in response.

She had already decided she was taking Merlin with her when she escaped and she knew she was nowhere near strong enough to break free yet. And she still planned to observe Gwen and her rule. For now though, she needed to work on softening Merlin towards her.

"You don't need to stay on the floor, Merlin." Morgana purred, sitting on the edge of his bed. "We can share the bed. I promise not to try anything… inappropriate."

Merlin gulped. "I can't. Gaius would notice and… and…"

Morgana pouted up at Merlin. She could easily push past his feeble excuse and they both knew it but for now she would drop the subject.

They were both quiet over lunch. Merlin didn't know what thoughts preoccupied Morgana, but he couldn't stop thinking about the fact she was going to be sleeping in his bed tonight. And she had invited him to join her.

But he couldn't join her, not while she was under his protection. She might have promised to keep her hands to herself- when all the while her expression contradicted itself- but he knew he had no self-control when it came to her. And he knew she was still trying to play him. He just wished it wasn't working.

The rest of the afternoon was spent making potions and medicines for Gaius. Morgana proved to be very helpful in the magical ones though she knew little of ordinary medicine. Merlin carefully observed her the whole time- in case she decided to alter one of the concoctions- but Morgana only seemed to take pleasure in the tasks. At some point in the evening, Gaius joined them for dinner before retiring to his own bedroom, seemingly unsurprised by Morgana's new living arrangements.

And then, before he knew where the day had gone, Merlin was curling up under a blanket on the cold hard floor and trying to sleep. He couldn't though; his mind was too busy fixating on the idea of Morgana being only a couple of feet away.

Then he heard a noise from his bedroom, a small shriek and he jerked upright. Trying to be quiet, he pushed open the door to find Morgana thrashing on the bed, lost in the throes of a nightmare. She shrieked again and Merlin hurried to her side, shaking her shoulder to wake her. Her eyes opened and she stilled; he let out a small breath of relief: she was alright.

Morgana's hand grasped his wrist as she locked her eyes with his. A tear ran down her cheek where he ached to wipe it away. "Stay with me, please."

Closing his eyes in defeat, Merlin nodded his head before climbing under the sheets with her. He grasped her hand in his- the only touch he could allow himself- and closed his eyes. Almost instantly he was asleep.


End file.
